Libsyn Directory

The New Era of Succession Planning: AI, M&A, and Legacy Leadership with Ray Sclafani

Release Date: 09/09/2025

What to Do When You’re Behind on Succession Planning

Total Succession

Succession planning is often postponed, not because it’s unimportant, but because taking care of clients always feels more urgent. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour unpack why “later” quietly becomes “now,” how life events can force decisions before you’re ready, and why clarity beats shame every time. Tune in to learn how to get started where you are and move toward an outcome that happens on your terms, not by accident. Today’s episode kicks off with Tyson Ray sharing the main reason why founders put succession planning off, even if they know it matters. “The urgency of caring for...

The Messy Middle of Succession: Not Out, Not In, Still Here

Total Succession

Succession planning isn’t just about stepping away, it’s about who you become once you stop doing everything yourself. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour dive into the messy middle of succession planning, where identity, control, and clarity collide and founders are forced to evolve. You’ll hear why succession is built through trial and adjustment, how to create a business that can live beyond you, and the powerful question every advisor must eventually answer: If you’re no longer running the show… who are you now? Tyson Ray kicks the conversation off by sharing something he was once told:...

20 Years of Trial and Error: Lessons From Tyson’s Personal Succession Journey

Total Succession

Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour discuss Tyson’s 20-year journey and reveal the raw truth behind his internal succession plan, and why he eventually chose the joy of client impact over the lure of a multi-million dollar buyout. You’ll hear about common succession planning mistakes and the hard-won processes that finally ended Tyson’s cycle of “burning through people”, including the S.P.A.C.E. framework and EOS to build a firm with staying power. If you’re wondering why mastering succession planning is more critical than ever, as the industry faces a widening advisor shortage, this...

Why Succession Planning Fails Financial Advisors… And How to Fix It with Jackie Wilke

Total Succession

Succession planning succeeds or fails in just a few critical places, and most financial advisors don’t realize where they’re vulnerable. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour are joined by Jackie Wilke to break down the three make-or-break factors in succession planning, from redefining rainmaking to building leaders who can truly care for clients. You’ll hear why succession is your final act of client service, how to future-proof your firm, and what it really takes to prepare the next generation of advisors to step up. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour are joined by Jackie Wilke to dig into the three...

Succession Planning, Legacy, and Letting Go: The Story Behind the Total Succession Book

Total Succession

Tyson Ray’s new book, Total Succession, actually didn’t start as a book idea… but as a responsibility. Kim Cochenour turns the mic on her co-host Tyson, to explore why succession is about far more than just retirement, and how identity, control, and legacy shape the decisions advisors struggle to make. Tune in to hear the personal moments, hard-earned lessons, and the S.P.A.C.E. framework behind Total Succession – and why none of us get to the next chapter alone. This episode sees Kim Cochenour interview co-host Tyson Ray to discuss something that has been years in the making, and...

Should You Sell Your Advisory Practice? How to Handle Unsolicited Offers

Total Succession

When a buyer comes calling, it can feel flattering, urgent, and surprisingly emotional, but an offer is NOT a succession plan. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour break down how advisors should think about succession when acquisition conversations start, from asking the right questions to understanding what you may be giving up beyond the numbers. You’ll learn how to evaluate opportunities on your terms, protect your clients and culture, and avoid regrets in a world where there is no such thing as a perfect exit. This episode sees hosts Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour address the scenario in which...

How to Rethink Your Exit When Succession Doesn’t Go as Planned

Total Succession

Succession planning doesn’t always go the way you expect… and when it falls apart, that moment can reveal the truth you’ve been avoiding. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour break down why plans derail, how to trust your gut over external pressure, and what founders should do when people or expectations start to crumble. You’ll learn why a broken plan can ultimately protect your legacy, strengthen client care, and open the door to a better path forward. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour discuss what to do when your succession plan falls apart, and how advisors can protect their legacy even when the...

How Faith and Fit Shape a Better Succession Plan with Brian Church

Total Succession

Succession planning isn’t just a business strategy, it’s an identity shift. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour are joined by Brian Church to explore the emotional and practical realities founders face as they scale, surrender control, and redefine their best vocational life. You’ll hear hard-won lessons from Advisory DNA’s journey, why advisors must seek trusted community, and how letting go can actually lead to more clarity, freedom, and growth. Brian Church kicks things off by sharing Advisory DNA’s origin story, the inspiration behind its creation and the gap he was trying to fill with...

Before the Deal, Have the Talk: Why Succession Begins With the People You Love

Total Succession

Succession planning doesn’t start with lawyers, valuations, or deal terms (or at least, it shouldn’t!)... It starts at home. Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour address the topic of deeply personal conversations advisors need to have with their spouse or partner long before any transition becomes real, from aligning on “age and number” to navigating fears about the future. They discuss how to get on the same page, what to do when you’re not, and why the most important succession agreement you’ll ever sign is the unspoken one with the person who knows you best. Tyson Ray kicks things off...

The Next Wave of Succession: Why Advisors Are Rejoining Bigger Firms to Regain Freedom with Alex Goss

Total Succession

Advisors are rethinking what they want their future to look like, and the old model of “go independent and grind forever” is losing its shine. Co-hosts Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour, along with Alex Goss of NewEdge Advisors, unpack the new realities of succession – from soaring valuations and G2 buyout challenges to burnout driving many advisors toward bigger, better-resourced firms. You’ll hear about how deal structures are shifting, what buyers actually want, and why the real question isn’t just how you’ll exit… but what life will look like after you do. Alex Goss kicks the...

More Episodes

How will AI, private equity, and shifting demographics reshape the future of financial advisors? In this episode, Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour sit down with Ray Sclafani of ClientWise to explore the intersection of technology, leadership, and succession in a rapidly changing industry.

From building legacy firms to preparing the next generation of advisors, this conversation reveals what it takes to thrive in a time of transformation.

Tyson Ray and Kim Cochenour welcome Ray Sclafani of ClientWise to touch upon industry insights, AI, succession, and more.
Ray kicks things off by sharing his experience at ClientWise, as well as his thoughts on the role of AI within the financial advisor industry – including a “player” worth keeping a close eye on.
Tyson’s quote about AI for advisors: “As an advisor, you’re not going to lose clients to AI… you’re going to lose clients to an advisor that’s using AI.”
Did you know that, over the next 10 years, it’s estimated that 38% of advisors, representing 40% of client assets, are expected to exit the business?
Ray touches upon something that makes the financial advisor’s profession unique and better positioned, compared to other spaces and jobs.
Ray doesn’t sugarcoat it: When it comes to succession planning, the firms he works with are all over the board!
In his talks with clients, Ray doesn’t talk about termination date, but rather about freedom date.
There are differences between advisors who have a 5-year “runway” before succession, and those who don’t…
Quoting Mark Tibergien, Ray discusses the fact that it takes 5-7 years to successfully develop the next generation.
Wondering “Who’s a great leader”? As Ray puts it, it is somebody who can develop somebody, who can develop somebody.
There are 3 things you can do with your shares: You can sell them at fair market value, you can discount them, or you can gift them.
“Has there ever been a better time to be in financial services?”, asks Ray.
There seems to be an M&A boom in the industry – with an estimated $1 to $2 trillion dollars sitting on the sidelines that private equity is looking to invest.
In the U.S., 54% of teams in the wealth advising space end up breaking up…
Kim asks Ray about how he helps clients reshape their identity in the transition of building a legacy firm.
The Outcome Frame, which Ray and his team at ClientWise use, is all about helping people get clear about what they want their future to be and how they want to spend their time and where they can make a really big difference.
Ray discusses the importance of putting clients first – and everything that can occur as a result.